It was with some trepidation that I faced the prospect of the ten hour train journey to Puno. Having felt really lousy the night before I gingerly crept my way out of the hotel towards the coach for the short trip to the railway station. Fortunately, the Andean Explorer train across the Altiplano is comfort personified. I’ve not been on the Orient Express but this is the nearest thing to it I’ve experienced. Elegant surroundings, comfortable chairs, top quality yet friendly service – it was lovely.

I was also very appreciative of the two Diamox tablets one of our intrepid co-travellers gave me. Our GP hadn’t said anything about the possibility of taking tablets, but several of our group had been given them before leaving home. I took half a tablet that morning, the other half in the evening, and then the same dose the next day, and it relieved me of all my symptoms apart from the breathlessness, which is easily coped with. So I would definitely recommend investigating these little beauties if you’re susceptible to the old altitude sickness. Not that I’m used to accepting drugs off strangers; don’t do this at home.

I feared the journey might be boring, but instead it was exhilarating. Fantastic views of Peru’s Canyon Country pass before your eyes as the train inexorably chugs its way towards Lake Titicaca. Big picture windows in the carriages help you to enjoy the view, but there is also a delightful observation carriage at the back of the train with more glass and an open air section which really allows you to become at one with your environment.

At La Raya, the highest point of the journey (4313 metres above sea level) the train makes a brief stop so you can get some air and visit the little market which sets up alongside the railway line. Unsurprisingly the stallholders are pretty desperate to sell you something and occasionally the interaction between traders and customers got a bit aerated. Nevertheless it’s a pleasant little stop.

Being a Peruvian train, naturally there was a fashion show – which we missed – and a folk music and dance troupe, which we saw. They were very good, but no match for the CDs of Andean music I already possess. They were also asking a ridiculously expensive price for their CDs – can’t remember exactly but it was way out of proportion – and unsurprisingly I don’t think anyone bought one.

And then there are the Pisco Sours, which were well worth the imbibing, the splendid lunch, and the afternoon tea (which was perhaps a trifle underwhelming.) Mrs Chrisparkle and I sat opposite intrepid co-travellers John and Vicky and spent most of the day putting the world to rights, drinking, laughing, eating and drinking again, to the extent that when we got out of the train at the end, people were walking past us saying things like “you enjoyed that, didn’t you” and “we’ll forgive you”. Oops. Were we noisy?

As you approach Puno, for the last half an hour or so the track follows alongside local roads which intersect a few small towns, so it’s almost like being on a luxury bus; it’s a good opportunity to see how the locals live and go about their daily business. When we finally arrived in Puno, on the banks of Lake Titicaca, it was 6pm and already nearly dark. But we were not prepared for the welcome. It was the anniversary (50th I believe) of the local university and the students were using it as an excuse for a folkloric party and parade. It seemed as though hundreds and thousands of people were on the streets. Our guide who met us said it had started earlier in the day and would finish shortly. Shame, we thought.

Our hotel for the night was the Casa Andina Private Collection, which was very comfortable and had large bedrooms; good breakfasts and a cosy bar. It did however also contain a rather grumpy receptionist. It has a most picturesque location nestling alongside the lake. With just a couple of hours to spend, we decided to skip an evening meal (again) and take a taxi into the centre of town to see what could be seen.

The parades were still in very full swing. We found the Plaza de Armas, (every town in Peru seems to have one), and it was packed with locals watching the parade – and indeed with all the parading students too. There seemed no end to the extravagance of the costumes – a mixture of folklore, fantasy, tradition and glamour. An incredible carnival atmosphere everywhere, all captured by TV Lima. The side streets were equally busy, as this is where paraders were gathering before joining the procession. Although I think we were almost the only tourists in evidence, I have to say the whole place felt very safe and very welcoming. However, it was difficult to gauge how attractive or otherwise Puno is, as all the spectacle detracted from the town itself.

After a couple of hours, and with no sign of the celebrations coming to a halt, we followed the advice of the hotel and made our way to another Casa Andina hotel in the town centre and got them to ring us a taxi to get back. They were more than happy to do so, which I thought was excellent service. Safely ensconced back in our hotel we set about packing our cases as the next day we would be leaving Peru for Bolivia.